My Path to Happiness Through Baking and Blogging

Last year when I interviewed Lorraine Elliott for my Food Writer Friday series, she talked about her memoir (with favourite recipes) that would be coming out later in the year. Well as things happen, it didn’t happen for various reasons but the date has finally been announced.

On April 24th, the book will finally be launched.

If you didn’t know me last year and don’t know Lorraine Elliott (you’d be in a distinct minority), you can see the post I wrote about Lorraine and NotQuiteNigella.com on Food Writer Friday. Make sure you follow her blog posts because you won’t want to miss any posts.

You’ll get to know Mr. NQN and all the wonderful friends that come alive in the pages of her blog. I’m still trying to decide which of her “besties” I want to meet most. At the moment it’s a tie between Queen Viv and Miss America.

The synopsis of her book says that she’s writing what could be the memoir for Generation X – those who had it all and gave it up to follow their dream. I’ll agree with that but what that synopsis doesn’t tell us is the amount of passion, guts and determination it took to bring a blog business from nothing to one of the best in the country. Anyone who has a blog works really long hours to get everything all done.

When I think about how much I work, I shudder to think about the hours Lorraine puts in. The woman posts every. single. day. of. the. year. My fingers hurt only thinking about it. Just optimising the photos alone would take a while.

For instance, look at the amount of time she must have spent making these cookies for her blog. I would have spent more than a day and they would have looked good but how much work would I have backed up? Lots.

I saw a notice in one of Lorraine’s posts last week about a book update and immediately went to buy it pre-launch to make sure I got mine. THEN I wrote to her and asked if I could write a few words and use her book cover. She said yes. Then I asked if I could ask her some questions. (I figured I got one yes, why not go for two.)

Again, she said yes. I know we’re all wondering how long it takes to write and put together a cookbook or memoir like Lorraine has. She did it in a few months. I gasped when I read that because everyone I’ve talked to about a book says it takes forever. Her reason why it took a short time? “It’s a memoir so I had no plots to work out.” We all know she must love to write in order to produce over 4200 pages on her website. That’s right, 4 thousand pages of text and photos.

The main reason the book was delayed was that the real Nigella was coming to Australia and the publisher thought a chapter about the meeting would be great for the book. When the book launch was put off, Lorraine was really disappointed but it gave her time to look at it again and polish it just a bit more.

Want to know how to get a book deal like this? First you have to be incredibly good at what you do and when that happens a literary agent will call you and ask for a chapter and he or she will schlep it around to publishers and hope someone takes the bait. Some people wait months just to get the slip of paper that says thanks but no thanks but Lorraine’s book was picked up in just a couple of days. Then another one made an offer and there was a bidding war with little Lorraine sitting back twisting her fingers into knots. (I made that bit up but from reading her blog for so long, I know I’m right.)

Sadly, due to economic pressure, there will not be a book launch where she’ll sign our books but she is speaking at the Sydney Writer’s Festival and will be happy to sign books for anyone who brings one along.

Want to order a book pre-launch so you’ll be sure to get one? I ordered mine from Bookworld and now I’ll watch the mailbox for delivery.

This is a lovely review Maureen and I share your amazement and awe at the work that goes in to getting projects like this running, never mind the blogs behind them operating so well, so consistently, all the time, and with such beautiful images! The title of the book is brilliant and probably sums things up for a lot of us; I’ll certainly keep an eye out for it post-release.

I feel privileged to have become a friend of Lorraine’s. She certainly is not only a talent but a pioneer of turning a blog into a book. It’s a shame there won’t be a launch – it seems a trivial cost for a book we all know is going to do so well xx

I adore Lorraine too, her blog is one I look forward to reading every day. She is approachable and her writing style makes her instantly likable, notwithstanding that she is a downright lovely person! And as busy as she is, she comments in every post I write, and I cannot even come close to how much I appreciate that. Thanks for the link Maureen, I’m going to re read it. I’m so glad you’re back to the food writers series.

Hi Maureen – I’ve heard of NQN but must admit I’ve never checked her out (afaik). I’m smitten with those embroidery cookies… I can’t begin to think how freaking LONG those must have taken. I’d be there all day (nay, all weekend) and there’d be icing everywhere and then I’d finish up by smashing them to bits in a rage and chucking them in the trash because such delicate work is not my strong point, haha 😀

I can imagine the disappointment when the book was delayed and that there is no launch but that is the publishing business these days. I am sure it will be super popular among the blogging circles and that will help it on its way when it comes out. Fantastic cookies and she looks like such a lovely, vibrant person.

Lorraine was the one to lead me to blogworld and foodie blogs especially some three years ago. It has become a part of my life and I’ll always be grateful for that! The book postponement was inevitable – I do not really think that a lack of book launch as such will make any difference as her thousands of readers come worldwide and many could not have been present. I wish her offering to have the bestest of luck an good fortune and shall continue to have almost daily fun on her pages . . . .God bless, beautiful lady !

Maureen, I absolutely adore this post . . . first of all it is so WELL WRITTEN, something I look for in the blogs that I choose to follow (since I’m an academic published author, this is a really big deal to me to look for in blogs). I am so glad that I’ve read this and will look for Lorraine’s book. I thoroughly enjoy your blog so much and look forward to more of your great work and insights!

I cannot wait to read her book!!!!!! Her blog is really fun to read and her writing is very good, the materials that she blog about is excellent in each post too. Very detailed. I know she works really hard for each post, and finally it’s all paid off. Looking forward to the book!

GREAT write up, TRUE!
Only 6 more days until her book is launched; pre-orders being taking now too!
Lorraine has been SO inspirational, supportive too!
Indirectly, I have Lorraine to thank for the creation of my blog and a future project that I am VERY EXCITED and PASSIONATE about too!
Cheers! Joanne

I was just coming from Lorraine’s blog and I noticed her post being written every single day. So when I read this post, wow you and I are thinking alike. 😀 I just can’t stop thinking ‘how can Lorraine do that?’ She must only sleep like 1-2 hours, right? It’s incredible!! And she worked on her first book at the same time!!!

Sue, not only does she post every day, travels around the world constantly and visits every restaurant she sees, Lorraine answers every comment, tweet and facebook post she gets. Every one. She must be down to half an hour of sleep by now.